Mark Forsyth 3 Books Collection Set (The Etymologicon, The Elements of Eloquence & Horologicon) (New Covers)

This matching three-book set brings together Mark Forsyth’s playful writing on the English language, presented in editions with new covers. Across the collection, Forsyth highlights the unexpected links between words and the surprising vocabulary that sits behind everyday speech.

Within these pages you will find a guided tour of etymological connections, including the relationship between “disgruntled” and “gruntled”, alongside more unlikely pairings such as church organs and organised crime, California and the Caliphate, and brackets and codpieces. The set also includes a “book of hours” that arranges unusual words by the time of day you might need them, with terms for familiar moments from waking up rough to feeling sleepy after lunch.

Included titles

• The Etymologicon
• The Elements of Eloquence
• The Horologicon

Key details

• Three-book collection by Mark Forsyth
• Matching set with new covers
• Includes The Etymologicon, The Elements of Eloquence and The Horologicon
• The Horologicon is subtitled a “book of hours”
• The Horologicon organises words by the time of day they are most useful

Synopses

The Etymologicon

This volume explores hidden pathways beneath English, tracing curious connections between words and ideas. It links seemingly unrelated subjects, from “disgruntled” and “gruntled” to church organs and organised crime, and also considers what the Rolling Stones have to do with gardening. The text is described as occasionally ribald, frequently witty and unerringly erudite.

The Horologicon

Subtitled a “book of hours”, this book gathers unusual English words and arranges them by the time of day when they are most useful. It offers terms for everyday situations, from waking up feeling rough to post-lunch sleepiness and dinner-time conversation. The range runs from “ante-jentacular” to “snudge”, via “quafftide” and “wamblecropt”.